The Presidential Search Committee met for the first time on August 13 and we had an excellent conversation planning for the search. One outcome of the meeting was the decision to retain the executive search firm WittKieffer to assist in the search. WittKieffer has extensive experience in executive searches in Jesuit higher education, including searches at Santa Clara for the vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, dean of the Leavey School of Business, and the provost, among others. The WittKieffer team knows Santa Clara well and will be a key partner in the recruitment of exceptional candidates. Their role will include gathering input from the campus community to prepare a dynamic leadership profile that will help recruit a transformational leader. Through listening sessions, surveys, and other means, the campus community will be invited to offer feedback about the desired qualities of the next president, the strengths and opportunities of SCU that would make it appealing to candidates, and the most important issues facing our campus community. We will be writing within the next 2 to 3 weeks to provide a schedule of listening sessions and to elicit feedback through an online survey. The committee looks forward to learning from you what you would like to see in our next president.

The Presidential Search Committee is committed to continued transparency and communication so our community can stay up to date on progress of the search. We will keep you informed throughout the process with regular campus communications and updates to the Presidential Search website. In my communication of August 11, I shared with you those who graciously agreed to serve as committee members, and I am privileged to chair a committee of such experienced and dedicated faculty, staff, alumni and trustees of the Santa Clara community. I invite you to learn more about the committee here. 

If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please email the committee at presidentialsearch@scu.edu. If you wish to nominate a candidate or introduce us to other parties who might identify potential candidates, please send your confidential nominations directly to WittKieffer at: SantaClaraPresident@wittkieffer.com. Thank you again for your support and participation in the search process.

Sincerely,

Matthew Carnes, S.J., M.Div. '03
Chair, Presidential Search Committee
Vice-Chair, SCU Board of Trustees

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SCU Presidential Search Committee Members 

• Matthew Carnes, S.J., M.Div. '03 *, Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees
• Aldo Billingslea, Father William J. Rewak S. J., Professor of Theatre Arts
• Laura Doyle, Lecturer in Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering; Assessment Liaison, Office of Assessment
• Rebecca Guerra '73, MBA '78, Trustee
• Tim Haley '81, Trustee
• Molly Joseph '96, Trustee
• Erin Kimura-Walsh '98, Director, LEAD Scholars Program
• Sergio Lopez '91, Manager of Direct Appeal, University Relations
• Jeff Miller '73, MBA '76, Trustee
• Bob Smith, Trustee
• Larry Sonsini, Hon. '04, Chair, Board of Trustees      
• Paul Soukup, S.J., M.Div, '78, S.T.M. '79, Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Professor, Communication Department
• Agnieszka Winkler, MBA '81, Trustee 

*Indicates Search Committee Chair